Window coverings such as shutters and blinds for windows of rectangular shape using various different blind materials, including fabrics of various kinds, enable the user to control the light or dark effect of the covering. In this way the user can adjust the covering to provide light, or dark, effects at various times, at will.
Most of such coverings have controls by which the entire covering panel, ie a rectangle of covering, can be provided with controls for either raising or lowering the covering, or for moving the covering material in such a way that the light or dark effects of the covering are varied, throughout the entire panel of covering material.
Many such window covering controls are motorised, permitting the owner to control the covering effect from a distance.
However, window coverings are also required to cover non-rectangular windows. These may be an arch shape, like a fan light, or an angular shape, with a non rectangular side, depending on the building design. In these cases the problem of providing a window covering with adjustable light and dark effects becomes more of a challenge.
It is also desirable that such window coverings may follow current tastes in decorating.
Various different types of fabrics are available, in which the light and dark shading can be varied simply by moving the material itself, without manipulating mechanical parts of the coverings themselves.
One such material embodies a series of alternate light permeable, and dark strips.
Using this type of material and by hanging two panels of the material spaced slightly separate from one another, it is possible to either align light strips in one panel with the light strips in the other panel, to allow more light to pass, or to align light and dark strips in respective panels, thereby reducing the light passing through.
Another type of material, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,613 Jelic dated September 1997, employs two spaced apart panels of light permeable material, and a series of dark strips extending between and secured between the two panels.
By moving one panel relative to the other, the dark strips can be rendered more or less horizontal, allowing light to pass, or by moving one panel, the dark strips can be moved to a more or less upright orientation, causing a reduced light passage.
These materials enable a home owner to select material which may most suit the decor, while enabling the manufacturer to offer the widest variety of panel colours and effects.
It will be appreciated that there are various different asymmetrical or non rectangular window shapes. In many cases these will be a smooth arc, in the form of what is known as a Saxon arch, in the form of a fan light over a door or an existing window.
Other windows may have a pointed arch, or what is known as a Norman arch.
In other cases the windows may have linear but non rectangular shapes.
For the sake of simplicity in this specification all such non rectangular shapes will be referred to as an “ARCH”.